From the Los Angeles Times:  Denmark’s green credentials obscure some unpleasant facts – Though lauded for adopting wind power, its high recycling rate and its progressive policies, Denmark generates the most waste per capita in the EU and most of its energy still comes from coal.

Gee, weren’t we just talking about this wind v coal thing, yesterday?

Well, the article by Mr. Henry Chu, presumably not related to Energy Secretary Steven Chu, goes on to discuss “the fact that, pound for pound, Denmark produces more trash per capita than any other country in the 27-member European Union,” which I guess is not necessarily why Copenhagen was chosen to host the 15th United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

It seems Copenhagen might not have been chosen because if its policy of legalized prostitution, since city managers supplied postcards which contained the message “Be sustainable: Don’t buy sex,” to hosting hotels, suggesting that they hand them to guests.  Well, much like the signatories to the Kyoto treaty, the “ladies of the evening” just skirted around that little bump in the road which negatively impacts their ability to earn a living, and countered with “All delegates who come to Copenhagen for the world climate summit will be able to use the postcards for payment.”  Cool, huh?  Just bring along one of the postcards and your climate summit pass and you can experience a free cultural exchange with one of Hans Christian Andersen’s Little Mermaids.  Sorta reminds you of the negotiating tactics going on in the halls of the US Congress, doesn’t it?

Sorry, that wasn’t really a big part of Mr. Chu’s story, but I thought it was interesting.  Anyway, what is included in his article, if even only for a few lines, is this:  “The Danish may lead the world in producing wind turbines, but much of their power still comes from coal-fired plants, major emitters of greenhouse gases.

Wind furnishes about 20% of the electricity supply — an impressive proportion compared with other nations, but actually less than what many Danes think is the case.

“There are many myths about Denmark,” (Martin Lidegaard, chairman of Concito, an environmental think tank here in the Danish capital) said. “Yes, we have a lot of wind [power], and we are good at that. But it’s still very, very little compared with coal.”

So, maybe if they double, triple, quadruple the number of wind turbines they can stop using coal.  No?  How about if they throw the people out of the country, tear down the houses and put one on every acre of land?

I don’t know the answer!  But it’s not in the silly windmills.  They went out of style with the wooden shoes.